Improvement in letter-sheet blanks



A. CQFLETCHER..

LetterlS'heet Blank. Y

N0. 127,330, 4 PatentedMay 28,1872.

LNVENTORL UNITED STATES ADDISON O. FLETCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN LETTER-SHEET BLANKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,330, dated May Q8, 1872.

The following is a specification of an Lnprovement in Letter-Sheet Blanks, invented by ADDISON C. FLETCHER, of the city, county, and State of New York.

In the accompanying drawing, Figures l, 2, and 3 represent an envelope of peculiar contour in an open, partly folded, and entirely folded and sealed condition. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent a similar article of slightly-different contour in the three several conditions above named.

The same letters occurring in the several figures indicate like parts.

The invention consists in the conformation of a letter-sheet in such manner that when folded, the ap, by the use of mucilage, or having been previously gummed, is made to adhere to both the inner fold and back portion of the folded sheet, so that while the script on the inner side could not be deciphered without much diiiiculty, the folded sheet could be sufficiently bowed to show that no additional matter was illegally inclosed.

Referring to the drawing, the sheet or letter envelope is divided or folded in three part-s, as represented by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4, the part a representing the flap, b the back portion, and c the inner fold. This latter portion is narrowed or cut away at its sides, as represented at d in Fig. l, or simply a piece notched out of the sides, as represented `at e in Fig. 4, or it may have a perforation, f, in each side, as represented in dotted outline in Fig. 5. The ilaps a are then heavily gumnied attheir corners, about as represented in Figs. l and 4, NN

in such manner that, on sealing the envelope, the gum will attach the flap at its corners to 'the back portion b at each end, and to the outer n side of the ilap c. VhetherV formed of either of these contours, the corners of the flap a extend to overlap the points d, e, orf, at about midway of the end of the envelope when folded; and the ends of the envelope will be sufficiently secured without the use of end flaps, which, if added, would require two additional gummed portions and cause'doublethelaborin sealingwhen used. There is also perfect economy in paper, as the whole inner side maybe written upon,the only loss of space being the cut-awayportions of the Hap c. The three parts are thus secured together, by one sealing at each end, in such a manner that the envelope can be opened sufciently for the examination of its contents without breaking the seal or seals, but not sufficiently to allow the writing within to be read.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

A letter-sheet blank having its inner fold cut away or punctured at its end so that mucilage or other adhesive material applied to the corners of the outer fold or flap will seal both folds and the back together at one operation, asshown and described.

ADDISON C. FLETCHER.'

Vitnesses SYDNEY E. SMITH, 1t. T. CAMPBELL. 

